Weathersbee: To rid a park of crime, keep visiting it

A group of kids join others who converged on Tom Lee Park a week after a shooting shut it down. Most said that while some people they knew stayed away, nothing would stop them from enjoying the park.(Photo: Tonyaa Weathersbee/The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

Last Sunday, Memphis police had to clear out Tom Lee Park when two people were shot after two groups of men began arguing.

By sunset, it was desolate.

But on Resurrection Sunday, the park came alive again.

By 5 p.m., people were trickling into the park. Oblivious to last week’s violence, which led to two arrests and mercifully, no deaths, people came out to play sand volleyball, to run, to people-watch and to be watched by other people; to walk their dogs and to take in the scenery and the Mississippi River sunset.

While I spoke to some who said they had friends who were staying away from the park for the time being, the crowds who came took a major step toward ensuring that the violence that visited the park last weekend will continue to be rare – because a park that is filled with people usually helps to deter crime.

Research published by the Citizens’ Taskforce on the Use and Security of Central Park, for example, found that “there was a direct relationship between the level of park use and the perception of security: the larger the number of visitors involved in positive activities, the more likely that anti-social behavior was deterred.”

There’s also this: Tom Lee Park is designed in a way that bolsters safety. Rows of condominiums and other housing overlook it, and traffic is constant, so not much will go unseen.

The Memphis Police Department has also stepped up its presence. Which is both necessary and worrisome at the same time.

It’s necessary because of the recent shooting. It’s worrisome because in places that are as tranquil as a riverside park, a heavy police presence seems more of an aberration. It stands out as another sign that even in its most peaceful, shared spaces, people can never get too far away from the violence and murder that Memphis continues to struggle with.

Yet by continuing to go to Tom Lee Park, Memphians score a small victory against the violence that occurred recently – by continuing to enjoy their public space as a place to relax and to enjoy the peace.